Machine for injecting plastic materials



Dec. 25,1923; 1,478,865 C. WEBER MACHINE FOR INJECTING PLASTIC MATERIALS Filed March 5, 1923 gwuemtoz Uarl I P1 66427;

Patented Dec. 25, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL WEBER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WEBER ENGINEERING CORPORA- 'I'ION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW -YORK.

MACHINE FORINJECTING PLASTIC MATERIALS.

Application filed March 5, 1923. Serial No. 623,027.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CARL WEBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Injecting Plastic Materials, of which the following is a specification.

This invention, for which I filed an application for a patent in Germany on March 6, 1922, relates to apparatus for ejecting liquid or plastic mixtures, such as cement mortar, grout, and the like, into spaces to be filled with the same, and consists in an im proved form of such apparatus, especially esigned and adapted for carrying out my process of; waterproofing tunnels, mineshafts andthe like, for which I have filed an application for patent of even date herewith, Ser. No. 623,026, but is obviously not limited to such use only.

It is, to a certain-degree, similar to the socalledgrouting machines; it is operated by means of compressed air, steam or any other fluid or liquid pressure. As stated, the machine is mainly used for the purpose of forcing or pressing plastic and liquid waterproofing materials into the water-carrying seams, fissures and cavities formed in and between the rock or conglomerate backing and masonry or concrete walls, as for instance in tunnels, mineshafts, drydocks, dams, retainin walls, and other similar structures. It 1s also used for the pur ose of injecting a plastic mortar or grout into the cracks and fissures of ruptured masonry or concrete arches, piers, walls, etc. in order to reconstruct, repair or strengthen the same. With this machine, cement mortar is also pressed between foundations and the bedplates of large engines and it can, of course, be applied to use with any other materials or for any other purpose for which it will be adaptable.

The machine is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus;

Figure 2 a detail of the discharge'cut-ofi, and

Figure 3 a cross-section of the latter.

The machine consists of a receptacle 1,'

closed at top and bottom. At 2 it is connected with the compressed air line or the like.

The cover 3 is provided with the fill-opening 4, with a relief cock or valve 5, and with a pressure gage 6. The bottom art 7 of the receptacle or container is funne shaped. It has a discharge opening 8, which is directly connected with a pipe or hose line 9. This pipe line 9 connects the ejector with the mouthpiece or nozzle 10, leading into the space to be filled with the charge, as shown in Figure 1. Between the discharge opening 8 and the beginning of the pipe line 9, and in rigid connection with the ejector, there is a special pinch-valve 11 for the purpose of closing or opening the discharge. This valve is operated by a footlever 12, and consists of a flexible and elastic case, preferably ashort rubber hose 13, which is encased by an outside metal casing or pipe 14, in order to protect it and to prevent its being blown apart by the internal pressure. Through two slots on opposite sides of the metal pipe 14, the vise like pressure clamps 16 and 17 can be brought to the open or closed position. These clamps are rigidly connected by the lever 15, WlllCll is operated by foot pressure on the valve lever 12. Foot pressure on the valve lever 12 closes the dischargeline by squeezing or. pinchingthe rubber hose 13 together. A kick on the valve lever 12 in an upward direction opens the discharge line.

The advantage of this valve is that clogging up of the valve is impossible. The pinching of the valve changes the cross section of the passage through the same by -de-' creasing the size to a full closure. Opening of the valve increases the cross section to its full width, so that even'a partly hardened plug will be able to pass without difiiculty. For the smooth operation of the ejector this valve is an important factor.

The compressed air, entering the container at 2, is led 'to the lowest part of the funnellike bottom 7 through the movable pipe 18, which can be raised and lowered from the outside by operating the hand lever 19 which is connected to this pipe 18 by the shaft 30 entering the interlor of the container through a stuifing box. Pipe 18 is closed on top. It has a side outlet 20 which is con: nected with the pressure pipe2 by means of the flexible hose 21 in such a manner that up and down movement of'pipe 18 is not restricted orhindered. 22 is a cook or valve for opening and closing the airline 2, as may be desired.

ion

The method of operating this machine is as follows:

After the machine has been put in its proper working place and after all pipe and hose connections have been made, the material to be injected is placed in the container through the fill opening 4. \Vhile this is being done, the air valve 22 is slightly opened so that a sufficient amount of compressed air is discharged through pipe 18 at the lowest point of the container to prevent settling of the mass. The mass is kept in agitated and bubbling motion so that a separation of the lighter liquid substance and the heavier solid particles is avoided. The agitation of the material can be adjusted to the necessarv degree by operation of the air valve 22, and is continued until the container is charged to its capacity or even beyond this time as long as the till opening 4 remains open. This opening 4 is only closed immediately before the discharge begins. In order to close the opening the valve plate 23 is lifted against its seat by an upward movement of handlever 19. The inner pressure then keeps it in the closed position.

Air valve 22 is now opened to a greater degree and an upward kick on foot lever- 12 opens the discharge opening. The mass in the container is now pressed with great force into the pipe line 9 through which it is led on its place of deposit. Pipe 18 must now be in a raised position, it is just lifted high enough to allow passage of a limited amount of material into the discharge line to prevent clogging of the same. As soon as there is an obstruction formed by clogging, the pipe 18 i immediately lowered. This shuts 01f the material and allows the passage of the air which, with slightly inpreased pressure, soon cleans out the pipe The advantages of these arrangements are that both the control of air pressure and the amount of discharge are at all times in the hands of the operator while the variations of the pressure gage 6 exactly indicate the movement of the material. The material is never at rest so that settling of the heavier substances as for instance sand, etc., is made impossible. Plugging of the lines is avoided, occasional clogs areeasily removed by lowering-of pipe 18 to shut ofi' the material so that only a cleansing stroke of air or steam can enter discharge line 9. No hand or mechanical stirring is necessary. The

material being in a continuous bubbling motion does not settle on the walls of the container which are kept free of caking and incrustations for very long periods.

Pipe 18 hangs in a vertical position, it is open on its lower end and therefore can not plug up even if the air is shut off for a longer time. At the opposite side of the discharge opening an opening 31 is provided to attach another pressure line or hot air, steam, etc., if the material in the container is to be. discharged in heated condition. This is at times necessary if asphaltum, tar, sulfur, rosin or similar materials are to be injected which need higher temperatures for the maintenance of a certain degree of plasticity.

While the drawing illustrates a larger size machine mounted onwheels for easy trans portation, smaller machines can be carried from place to place and are equipped with legs to stand'on. i

What I claim is:

1. A machine of the class described, com-' prising a container having an outlet for material at its bottom, a vertical pipe having its lower end adjacent said outlet, flexible means to convey fluid under pressure into the upper end of said pipe, and manually operable means to raise and lower said pipe, whereby the discharge through said outlet is controlled and the material in the bottom of the container is kept agitated.

2. A machine for the purpose described, comprising a container having a funnelshaped bottom leading to the discharge outlet, a pipe for fluid under pressure extending into said funnel, and means to raise and lower said pipe, whereby, in the event of the outlet becoming clogged, said pipe can be lowered to cut 01f the material from the outlet and to clear out the latter by the fluid under pressure.

3. A machine of the class described, comprisin a container having an outlet for material in its bottom, means to deliver fluid under pressure into the material adjacent to said outlet, a discharge pipe leading from said outlet, and means to control the flow through said pipe, consisting of a tubular slotted metal casing, a rubber pipe section within said casing, jaws operable through said slots to compress said pipe section, and a lever to actuate said jaws.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CARL WEBER. 

